Poems

from Offworld

this was a vision: humanscreateworld emerging from an egga shepherdess is our voice victim of sorrowvictim of sorrow is our own mindtook our stations to the streetbuildings on fire, create the anterior mindsetanywhere out of this world

imitate me she sang, singing in harmony with her own selfenclosures within enclosures. New planets and stars

what wasn’t said of Thel didn’t tell you didn’t warn you of Thel wouldn’t do itwhat if they said Thel you would be hampered you would be diminished

microcosmic paratacticsmall inkling this would end. soon.in special language enclosedwithout ties, a lover ties you downadolescent idea of “orienting”and the gypsy reads all our getaway cards

without religion but better than thatharsh discourse is mosaic intentionshattering all downplay stress mode tesseraebut you will rise in the house of choosingyou are all content today, gauzy is anotherlength of humancompanion to a 1,000 year planabundant inflections complicate the strifetone is tautologicaltaut is my generationwe had enough of it todaywe are author and roam as suchas such discern to listendo we have tomorrow?you are divinehypnagogic playmate, Theland your dangerouswithdrawal of my study planwillful in origin isunguarded, help me out here

More by Anne Waldman

Marriage marriage is like you say everything everything in stereo stereo fall fall on the bed bed at dawn dawn because you work work all night. Night is an apartment. Meant to be marriage. Marriage is an apartment & meant people people come in in because when when you marry marry chances are there will be edibles edibles to eat at tables tables in the house. House will be the apartment which is night night. There there will be a bed bed & an extra bed bed a clean sheet sheet sheet or two two for guests guests one extra towel. Extra towel. How will you be welcomed? There will be drinks drinks galore galore brought by armies of guests guests casks casks of liquors liquors & brandies brandies elixirs sweet & bitter bitter bottle of Merlot Merlot Bustelo coffee. Will you have some when I offer. When you are married married there will be handsome gifts for the kitchen kitchen sometimes two of every thing. Everything is brand brand new new. Espresso coffee cups, a Finnish plate, a clock, a doormat, pieces of Art. And books of astonishing Medical Science with pictures. Even richer lexicons. When you are married married there will be more sheets sheets & towels towels arriving arriving & often often a pet pet or two two. You definitely need a telephone & a cellphone when you are married married. Two two two two lines lines lines lines. You need need separate separate electronic mail electronic mail accounts accounts. When you are married married you will have sets sets of things things, of more sheets & towels matching, you will have duplicates of things, you will have just one tablecloth. When you are married married you will be responsible when neighbors neighbors greet you. You will smile smile in unison unison or you might say he is fine, she is fine, o she is just down with a cold, o he is consoling a weary traveler just now, arrived from across the Plains. She my husband is due home soon, he my wife is busy at the moment, my husband he is very very busy busy at the moment moment this very moment. Meant good-bye, good-bye. When you are married married sex sex will happen happen without delay delay. You will have a mailbox mailbox & a doorbell doorbell. Bell bell ring ring it rings rings again a double time. You do not have to answer. That's sure for when you are married people people understand understand you do not not have to answer answer a doorbell doorbell because sex sex may happen happen without delay delay. You will hear everything twice, through your ears & the ears of the other. Her or him as a case case may be be. He & he & she & she as a case case may be may be. When you are married married you can play play with names names & rename yourself if you like. You can add a name, have a double name with a hyphen if you like. You can open joint accounts when you are married. Marriage is no guarantee against depression. A shun is no guarantee against anything. Marriage is no guarantee against resolution. Revolution is a tricky word word. Here, you hear here? Marriage is sweeter sweeter than you think. Think.